Fifty
by ga-mei
Summary: Lin reflects on the 5 decade's she's spent alive, but more importantly, who she's spent them with. Linzin COMPLETE


**I. Zero**

* * *

The small bundle wailed in Toph's arms, and her mint-green eyes stared forward. All she saw was black, and for the first time in her life, she was upset. The bundle was as light as a feather, wailing it's life to the world.

"Toph, she's beautiful." Katara murmured in a breathless tone. Toph was glad Katara had been able to fly out and deliver her child, especially with her one year old son, Tenzin, sucking up most of her time.

"With my genes? I'm sure she is. I just wish I could see her." Toph murmured in a breathless tone. Labor hadn't gone easy for her, but she knew it had been worth it. After her husband had died in an untimely accident, Toph knew her baby would be a driving force in her life.

"You can."

Toph's face contorted with the voice. "Twinkle toes,what are you doing in here?" She demanded, a flush crossing her face. She was in no way shy, but part of her hoped Aang hadn't been there for the delivery of her child. That was just…awkward.

"Relax Toph, he only just came in now. I refused to let him in." Katara's light laugh rang throughout the air, and Toph released a shaky breath in relief. "Aang, what did you mean she 'can see' her daughter?" Katara seemed confused at the question.

"Easy, this way." Aang replied simply. Toph felt the earth shifting, as if something had been ripped from it. She gave a small yelp as he pressed something to her foot, but her 'vision' slowly began to focus on it. He'd shaped the form of her child into the earth. She could feel the shape of her daughter, she couldseeher daughter.

The emotions became too much for Toph, she felt her eyes welling up with tears as she huddled the baby closer to her. Katara asked her if she had a name, and after having 'seen' her daughter, she realized that she did.

"Lin."

* * *

**II. Ten**

* * *

Lin's hands balled up into small fists as she slammed her feet on the ground. "I can't do it!" She screamed. Her mint green eyes were red with agony and failure, her bare feet trying to see, desperately trying to achieve seismic sense like her mother was able to do. "I'm a failure!" She wailed.

"Lin, stop that. Don't be so hard on yourself." Tenzin's calm voice assured her. The eleven year old set a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. She smacked his hand away, her eyes narrowing to slits.

"Everything is easy for _you _Twinkle-toes, you're a prodigy!" She hissed, her young mind blocking all rational thoughts. "I'm the only daughter of the first metal-bender, greatness is _expected_ of me!" She retorted, pulling her hands into an earthbending stance as she stomped on the ground again.

"Wha-I'M ONE OF TWO AIRBENDERS IN EXISTANCE!" Tenzin's high voice shot back at her, his bald head growing red with frustration. "You think _you_ have expectations of you?"

Lin's lips twisted into a grimace. She was an impeccable earthbender sure, and at a young age as well. But that wasn't good enough. She wanted to overwhelm her mother with pride, more pride than she ever knew she could fathom. But for she didn't believe she was achieving that as of lately. She needed to master metalbending, and to do that, she needed to master seismic sense.

"It's not something you'd understand Twinkle-toes, so _back_ off!"Lin cried, clenching her fists as she ventured off to practice elsewhere.

Sometimes Tenzin was so aggravating.

* * *

**III. Twenty**

* * *

Lin stared at him across the hall. They were at another important Gala for his father and her mother, and all of their family friends. Republic City was at the beginning stage of thriving, and it was an exciting place to live. Tenzin had gotten his arrows half a decade ago, while she had finally managed to master both seismic sense and metal bending.

Somewhere along the line, she'd fallen for him. Hard.

Maybe it was how rational he was, how thoughtful he was, or how calm he always seemed to be. He put the perfect amount of balance in her life. He was her best friend. Through all the ups and downs, she and Tenzin always came out on top. And that's exactly what he was to her. Her Tenzin.

Her eyes sparkled as they caught his, and almost knowingly he rose to his feet. They both squeezed to the back of the room, dodging out a hall to enter a darker corridor.

"Those gala's can get pretty intense." He murmured, giving a small chuckle as he fixed his red and gold robes. Lin stared up at him in awe. When had he grown up so much? His eyes showed great wisdom and knowledge despite his young age, while his chin donned the start of a beard.

"Pretty ridiculous." Lin murmured, a small smile on her face. She coughed a little. "But stupid. Most of them are just ways to rake in money for the city. Not that we don't need it." She gave a small shrug, beginning to wander along. Normally Katara would fit her in a green gown, but this time she'd allowed for a metallic color.

"You look ravishing as usual, Lin. Don't take it the wrong way, but grey is definitely your color." Tenzin grinned at her, giving her a small elbow to the hip as he casually draped an arm around her. He knew she'd been training for the police force, and she was the best bet to take over whenever the Chief position opened up. Lin had drive and power, and he was proud that she had evolved from the 'woe is me' ten year old he seemed to remember so well.

"Thanks T." Lin felt her own arm wrap around his waist, her fingers dipping and twirling around his robes absentmindedly. Part of her usually didn't believe him, she never really considered herself pretty, but Katara had done an extra good job with her makeup, so she'd accept the compliment.

She didn't know when it had happened, when she found herself falling for him. The worst part was that she felt as if she couldn't tell him. She wasn't going to risk a twenty year friendship over some feelings that didn't seem to be reciprocated.

"Lin," Tenzin's voice seemed clouded and distant, immediately causing her to snap back to reality. Her eyes narrowed in confusion at the look on his face. He seemed internally conflicted, his eyes darting every which way but somehow failing to look at her dead on. "I've got something to tell you."

There was silence.

"Well," Lin felt impatience prick at her. "Are you going to-"

His lips crushed onto hers, pulling her into a dizzying kiss. Tenzin was kissing her. Was this real? Was this real life? Her light eyes widened in surprise before gently fluttering shut, and she felt herself returning the kiss. Before that moment, it had always been LinandTenzin this, LinandTenzin that, they had always been recognized as a set package.

But now they were Lin _and _Tenzin.

He was _her_ Tenzin.

* * *

**IV. Thirty**

* * *

Lin sat with the gauze on her face, covering the fresh scars on her right cheek. She didn't blame anyone for them other than herself, she'd been careless, so it was her price to pay. Her tongue darted across her mouth as she licked her lips, and she eyed the sparkling engagement ring that donned her finger.

Tenzin had gone to the Cave of Two Lovers and chipped off some of the original gems that were sprinkled on the ceiling of the tunnel. With the help of his father, he'd crafted the ring himself, presenting it to her in front of everyone who was held near and dear to them.

She'd said yes.

They were still only engaged, but they'd moved in together. Or rather, she'd moved in to Air Temple Island. The place was so serene, so quiet. She felt bittersweet about it. While it provided an escape from the city, part of her felt like she didn't belong.

One of the Air Acolyte girls gave her an odd look whenever she walked by. She wasn't very fond of that girl.

"Lin!" She heard the door open, and her eyes flickered up at Tenzin. "What happened?" He was at her side immediately, caressing the side of her face to examine the damage done.

"It was my fault, I fell. I scraped up the side of my face, it's probably going to scar, but other than that I'm fine." Lin lied, swatting his hand away. "Stop doting on me," a small smile pricked at the corner of her lips, so he would realize that she was just as capable as he was. "I'm a little battered, bit I'm going to be just fine." Her eyes faltered a little as she glanced to the side, and she felt his fingers tilt her chin up at him.

"You'll always be beautiful to me." He murmured, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead. She watched him set off to meditate for a while, and when he was gone she released the pent up stress in her breath.

How was she going to tell him that she was incapable of bearing children?

* * *

**V. Forty**

* * *

Lin sat behind her desk. Work was all she had left now. The new avatar had been alive for seven years now, she had been discovered about two years before. But Avatar Aang's death was nothing that Lin wanted to dwell on. His death marked the end of a generation, a legacy, in more than one way.

After Aang's death, she and Tenzin had been on the rocks. He was truly the last Airbender, and he needed children. That was something she couldn't give him, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how hard she wanted to. So when he broke things off, she wasn't surprised.

She was surprised, however, to find that he was with _that_ Air Acolyte girl, Pema.

Pema.

_Pema._

The one girl he'd told her never to worry about. _Pema's too young,_ he said. _Pema's immature and naive_, he said. _Don't ever worry about Pema, I'm not attracted to her_, he said. Well he lied. And after one lie like that, Lin began to question all the other lies he'd told her.

Was she really beautiful. Did she really matter?

No. All that mattered was Pema, or rather, the thousands of eggs nesting inside Pema, that Tenzin was just waiting to fertilize.

They'd given birth to the 2nd airbender in existence. A girl named Jinora. Tenzin had coaxed Lin to be present for the birth, he wanted her to be the godmother. She hesitantly complied. Lin had to admit, Jinora was beautiful. She was born at an average weight, with an average skin tone, and an average brown tuft of hair atop her head. But her eyes, despite being an average brown, seemed so warm, wise, and welcome.

Despite that, Lin felt jealous. Lin never felt jealous. Why was Pema allowed to live the life Lin, for so long, had believed she was destined for?

How did Pema break up a friendship nearly four decades old?

Deep down she knew the answer. That it wasn't Pema's fault at all.

* * *

**VI. Fifty**

* * *

The Avatar was in Republic City. Lin couldn't be more enraged or pleased. She was enraged because it was annoying that the Avatar was ripping up her city. Her city was her baby, the only baby she could ever bear or take care of. She was enrage because the Avatar, in the midst of all her troubles, had brought Tenzin back into her life.

But deep down, Lin couldn't be more pleased that Tenzin was back in her life.

She'd never tell him, but she missed him a lot.

Every day.


End file.
